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+ servings

Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Toss the takeout menus in favor of a fast and fresh recipe for Chinese chicken lettuce wraps starring a sweet and tangy marinade.
4.75 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients  

For the sauce:

  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce 
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (optional)

For the lettuce wraps:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons minced ginger
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots 
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey  
  • 1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped 
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves 
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 1/3 cup toasted peanuts or cashews, chopped 
  • Lettuce leaves and chopped veggies, for serving

Instructions 

Make the sauce:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and crushed red chili flakes (optional). Set the sauce aside.

Make the lettuce wraps:

  • In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. 
  • Add the shallots and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. 
  • Add the ground chicken and using a spatula, break it apart into pieces. Continue cooking until it is cooked through and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. 
  • Stir in the water chestnuts then stir in the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. 
  • Remove the mixture from the heat then stir in the cilantro and scallions and taste and season it with salt and pepper. 
  • Divide the chicken mixture among the lettuce cups then garnish with chopped nuts and serve. 
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